Demons Don't Go Lightly
by Paige Terner
Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.
1. Chapter 1

******Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

******Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

******Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for****!**

* * *

Jim Beckett startled awake. His mouth felt like it was laced with cotton and everything was blurry, like his eyes were incapable of focusing on any details. His head was pounding and the knocking that had awoken him wasn't helping. It took several moments for him to seperate the drums in his head from the rapping at the front door. He choose to ignore the latter. Until he heard her call out.

"Dad? Are you in there?"

Even in his current state, he could discern the concern in her voice through the heavy oak and distance that separated them. He arose from the couch, his joints protesting as he moved for the first time in well over two hours. When he reached the door, he released the locks and opened it up. His daughter was staring back at him, grief and worry pouring from her eyes. Her mother's eyes. Thin, earthy brown circles directly bordered her widened pupils, surround by emerald green. He'd always loved the multiple colors of those irises; he'd always been entranced by the seemingly ever changing eyes of the two most important women in his life.

"Katie."

It wasn't really a greeting, it was barely nothing more than a grunt of recognition. Kate sighed as she looked her father up and down. The sparkle was gone from his steel blue eyes, but it had been for years now. The whites were stained pink, but she didn't know if it was from the tears she knew he still cried, or from the alcohol, or both. However, the almost imperceptible tinge of yellow at the corners of the no-longer-whites was definitely from the alcohol. The dark bags under his sickened eyes made them appear sunken. His entire face was shallow, and his cheekbones were protruding far too sharply. Course scruff, at least three days worth, covered the lower half of his face. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were rumpled. Kate shook her head and walked inside, taking his hand from the doorknob so she could close it behind her.

"Dad, when was the last time you ate something?" She asked as she locked the deadbolt into place. "And peanuts and pretzels at the bar don't count."

He didn't answer because he wasn't sure. Kate sighed again, frustration at the edge of her expulsion. She set down the small duffel bag she'd been carrying and shrugged her jacket off.

"What're you doing?" Jim mumbled.

"It's time to get you sober, Dad. You're drinking yourself to death."

"I'm fine, Katie."

"Dad, you look like you have one foot in the grave. You can barely stand, and don't try to deny it because I can see you swaying."

"Look." Jim huffed. "I am your father. You can't just waltz into my house and tell me how to live my life."

"What life, Dad?" Kate didn't try to keep her tone calm. She was pissed off and tired of all this. "You barely leave your house, and when you do, it's to go to the bar or buy more to drink. You are killing yourself."

"I have it under control." He hissed.

"No you don't." She crossed her arms. "Mom is gone, Dad, and you're not going to get her back at the bottom of a bottle. All you're going to do is make me an orphan. It's time for you to open your eyes and stop being selfish." Tears brimmed hard against her lower eyelids, but she blinked them away. "I miss her too, Dad. More than I know how to say. I can't lose you too." She stepped closer and took his hands in hers. "Please let me help you."

"Katie." He whispered, his tone suggesting that he was trying to think up an argument.

"Dad, if you won't do it for you, do it for me. Or Mom. She deserves to be remembered and honored, not used as a reason to slowly kill yourself."

Jim stared at her, silent, his brow furrowed in thought. Kate stared back, loving defiance blazing in her eyes. He knew she wouldn't leave until he agreed. His daughter was the only person he'd ever met who was more stubborn than his wife had been.

"All right." He swallowed and sniffled. "I'll stop drinking."

She sighed loudly, her relief reverberating throughout the room, and a small, hopeful smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Even so, there was still grief in her eyes. It wasn't going to be that simple. But together, they could get him through this. They had to. She needed her Dad back.

"You won't be facing it alone." She nodded down at the bag. "I'm going to stay with you for as long as you need me to."

"Katie, you don't need to do that." He pulled his hands free and ran one over his face. "I'll join a twelve step program or something."

"That can come later." She replied. "We've got to get you clean first, get it all out of your system." She held up a hand when he opened his mouth. "Dad, over these next few days you aren't going to feel like being around yourself, let alone me. Being around strangers will just make it worse."

Her words fell heavy on his ears. The increasing intensity of his headache told him it'd been at least a few hours since he'd had his last drink. It made it hard to process all this, made him just want to fill a glass and nurse it down. He could almost imagine the magnificent burn of the smooth liquid, and his eyes closed of their own accord with the power of his desire.

"Dad." Kate's voice tore him from his silent wishing.

"What?" He opened his eyes and met hers.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up, and I'll cook us some dinner."

"I'm not hungry, Katie."

"That wasn't a question."

Dull steel met fiery emerald as they wordlessly challenged each other.

"Okay." Jim relented first, only because a shower would actually feel fantastic right now. "I'll be back out in a bit."

"The food will be waiting."

Jim didn't say another word as he turned and headed for the hallway. Kate waited until she heard his bedroom door close before she went into the kitchen. It didn't take long for her to realize that there was little in the way of proper food supplies. She found a scrap of paper and a pen and jotted down a note to herself to call in a grocery order in the morning. Then she set about making a meal with what she had.

In the refrigerator there were some eggs that had not yet reached their expiration date, so she pulled them out and set them on the counter. A few minutes later she had a pot of coffee brewing and some borderline stale bread sitting in the toaster, waiting to be lowered down between the heating elements. As she stirred the eggs around a frying pan, she contemplated what awaited her over the next few days.

She'd traded shifts like crazy to work it out so she'd have a whole week off. It meant at least a month of weekends without a break, and she'd used up the few favors she'd banked, but it was worth it. The journey to sobriety would take her father longer than a week, she knew that, but she hoped the worst of it would be over by then and he wouldn't need constant supervision. There was one thing she was sure of though. This would be hell compared to what she dealt with while wearing her NYPD blues.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

**Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!**

* * *

Jim came out of his room showered and clean shaven. His outfit was still wrinkled, but it wasn't dirty. He watched his daughter bustle around the kitchen for a moment before he crossed the living room to join her.

"Hey."

Kate looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Dad." She nodded towards the table. "Go ahead and sit down. "Dinner is about to be served."

"Can I help?"

"Yeah." Kate pointed at the microwave. "The eggs are keeping warm in there. Will you get them out?"

"Sure."

Jim retrieved the cloth covered dish and carried it to the table. The toast was already there, sitting beside a jar of grape jelly he didn't know he had. Kate had already set two places, so he sat down at one when he saw her headed his way. In her hands were two steaming mugs of coffee, which she put down next to their waiting plates.

"I hope you don't mind breakfast for dinner." She said as she took her seat. "I'm going to have some groceries delivered in the morning."

"This is fine." Jim cleared his throat. He'd already talked more tonight than he usually did in a day, and he could tell his vocal cords were protesting the exercise. "But you don't have to order in. We can just go to the store."

"We'll see how you feel in the morning." Kate replied. "Now let's eat before it gets cold."

She served up some of the eggs and toast on each plate, hoping to stop their conversation before it went any further. She'd seen guys in holding cells suffering through unplanned detoxes, and she was willing to bet her dad wouldn't want to leave the house in the morning. In fact, if he had been drinking as much as she thought he was, he may not want to leave for days. Perhaps even weeks. She'd also been doing some research so she would be prepared for what was going to happen as the poison was emptied from his system. She didn't pray often, but as she spread jelly on a slice of toast, she sent up a silent wish to whomever might hear it that this would go easier than expected. Then she made a second prayerful plea that they would be able to do it, regardless of the difficulty. Because no matter how much she wanted to help, no matter what she was willing to do for him, if Jim didn't truly want to break free of the alcohol, he never would.

For a few minutes, they ate wordlessly. The only sounds disrupting the silence was the clinking of forks on plates and the quiet hum of the air conditioner. Kate observed Jim, taking in details like he was a suspect. The bites he took were small and he chewed them for a long time. After nearly every bite he would take a sip of his coffee, almost as if he couldn't swallow the food without it. He ate half a piece of dry toast and about a third of his eggs before he set his fork down and pushed the plate away slightly. Kate sighed and slid the plate back to him.

"You need to eat more than that."

"I'm full, Katie." He looked up at her.

"You didn't eat enough to fill a toddler, Dad."

"I really can't eat anymore." His eyes grew dark with distress.

"Do you want me to fix something else? Or order something?"

"It's not the food." He licked his lips and sighed. "I just can't eat anymore right now."

Kate studied him a moment and then nodded. Maybe his stomach wasn't used to eating a full meal, because he definitely hadn't been eating regularly.

"Okay." She relented.

She stood and started to clear the table but Jim grabbed her wrist gently, stilling her movement.

"Go ahead and finish yours." He smiled. "I'll sit here with you."

Kate sat down and put her napkin back on her lap. She didn't take her eyes off of him as she scooped some eggs onto her fork. When he picked his coffee up and sipped at it, she grinned and continued to eat.

"I've tried quitting before." He said a few moments later.

"You have?" Kate's brow scrunched in curiosity.

"Yeah. I thought I could just stop drinking and never pick up a bottle again."

"When was this?"

"Almost two years ago." He huffed out a frustrated chuckle. "It didn't work, obviously."

"Then why did you agree to stop now?"

Jim set his mug down and took her free hand in his.

"What you said, about you and about your mom. That hit home hard. Neither of you deserve this. I used to be a better man, I used to be there for you."

"Dad." Kate dropped her fork and grabbed hold of his other hand. "You are the most amazing man I know and you're a wonderful father." She paused when he scoffed, but then kept going. "So maybe things haven't been easy for you since Mom was killed, but we both are to blame for the distance between us." She sighed. "You and I could have both dealt with her murder better, we could have leaned on each other. But we didn't. We split up, looked for comfort in places we couldn't find it. And getting you sober won't make either of us miss her less, but it will give us each other back."

Jim smiled at her weakly, disbelief in himself filling his eyes.

"If you think I'm a miserable slob as a drunk, wait until you see me trying to be sober."

"I don't think that, Dad." She swallowed hard and glanced around the room, desperate for something to turn this conversation around. Her eyes landed on a half empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table. "Hey, I have an idea. A way to make this official."

She let go of his hands, stood up and walked into the living room. By the time she'd retrieved the bottle he was standing, watching her every movement.

"What are you doing with that?" he asked.

"You'll see." Kate went into the kitchen and set the bottle on the counter. "Now, we need to collect all the alcohol in the house. What else do you have?"

Jim looked around like he was taking in the apartment for the first time.

"Umm. There's a bottle in my room. Probably one in the pantry too."

"You get the one in your room. I'll look in the pantry." Kate directed.

They split up to try and locate the respective bottles. She came back first, carrying an unopened bottle of the same whiskey she'd found in the living room. Jim showed up a minute later with a mostly full bottle of vodka.

"I don't think I have any more right now." He told her. "As you noticed, I haven't been to the store lately."

"Okay, come here." She moved to the sink and waved him over to her. "We are going to pour this out. Well, you are."

"Pour it out?"

"Yes, to get rid of it. It doesn't need to be in the house."

Jim sniffled and stared at the bottles for several seconds in silence.

"All right, Katie. Whatever you say."

He removed the lid of the bottle he was still holding and stepped up to the awaiting sink. Slowly he tipped the bottle sideways, the clear liquid splashing off the bottom of the metal basin. It pooled and swirled at the drain, slipping away through the hole. When all the vodka was gone, Kate had both whiskey bottles open and ready. Jim took the full one and emptied it just like the first, then followed suit with the third and final bottle. He felt an odd sense of pleasure at the process, and felt a surge of joy because he knew he was taking control instead of being controlled.

"Now toss the bottles in the trash."

"I have a recycling bin." He replied.

"Nope, they need to go in the trash. It's more final that way."

Jim nodded and carried the bottles to the mostly empty bin, which Kate had put a bag in while cooking dinner. He dropped each in, felt and heard them thunk to the bottom, the second and third also clinking on the ones before them. He turned to Kate with a half-hearted smile.

"Now what?"

"Now you go to bed."

"It's not even nine yet."

"You need sleep, Dad. I could pack for a week's vacation in those bags under your eyes."

He looked around the kitchen and at the table where their dishes sat.

"Let me help you clean up first."

"I got it."

"Katie, I am going to help you clean up the dinner dishes."

Their eyes met in another silent argument. It was a hint of need, a glimpse of hope in her father's eyes, that made Kate give in.

"Okay. You clear the table, and I'll load the dishwasher."

"Deal."

They worked without speaking, moving around each other like they did this everyday, a well oiled machine by all appearances. But appearances can be deceiving, and neither could ignore the underlying feeling of tension beneath the surface of their silence. It didn't take long for the two of them to have everything clean and put away, and when they were done, Jim headed for the living room.

"Will the pull out bed be okay for you?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah." Kate answered. "Do you still keep the extra sheets in the hall closet?"

He nodded, his focus already on removing the cushions so he could get to the handle for the bed. He pulled it out, extending it fully, and Kate walked up with an armful of linens. She didn't try to tell him that she could make the bed on her own. She just handed him the fitted sheet and set the others down. Together they stretched and tucked the sheets into place, then spread the blanket out. She'd grabbed a pillow too, and after slipping it into a pillowcase, she tossed it near the head of the bed.

"The spare bathroom is all yours." Jim nodded down the hall, then chuckled, the first truly happy sound he'd made since Kate had arrived. "I'm sorry now that I made turned that bedroom into an office."

"This bed is fine, Dad." She smiled and stepped up to him, putting her arms around his shoulders. "Now, go get some sleep."

"Good night, Katie." He hugged her back. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They broke apart their embrace and Jim stared towards his room, but halted after a few steps and turned to her.

"Thank you for this."

"I'll remind you that you said that in the morning." Kate laughed.

"You do that."

And then he was gone, his footsteps heavy as they retreated down the hall. Kate sighed, finally able to let out the trepidation and worry she'd been holding in. She went to the entryway and retrived her bag, then went to get ready for bed. After getting cleaned up and changed, she returned to the living room, noticing on the way that the space under her father's door was already dark.

Needing a distraction, she found herself in front of the bookshelf, perusing the titles that had been lovingly held by both her parents. She'd read some of them, but most of the spines were unfamilar. Something caught her eye, a glaring oddity among the words before her. She reached for the colorful paperback, pulling it from when is was snuggly tucked in between several others of similar size and appearance. She flipped the book and looked over the front cover. Hmm. This should be good for a laugh, which was what she needed. Something completely unserious and light, so she could mindlessly lose herself in it.

She made the rounds through the room, checking the locks and flipping off most of the lights until all that remained on was the lamp by the couch. Crawling under the fresh sheets, she propped herself up and examined the book once more. She'd never heard of the author, but her mother had been known for reading just about anything. Everything from bestsellers to one hit wonder writers peppered her old collection, and Kate assumed this was one of the latter. But if her mom liked it enough to buy it, perhaps it was worth giving it a shot. She yawned as she settled into the bed a little further and opened to the first chapter of _Hell Hath No Fury_.


	3. Chapter 3

******Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

******Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

******Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for****!**

* * *

The sun was already shining around the edges of the blinds when Kate awoke, but the pinkish hue in the light told her it hadn't been up long. She sat up slowly, stretching her arms high above her head, reveling in the good burn it provided her sleep sore muscles. Throwing the covers aside, she got out of bed and shuffled to her temporary bathroom. After finishing in there, she headed back towards the living room, stopping off at her dad's door. She leaned in, placing her ear to the painted wood, and listened. She couldn't hear anything, and there was no light spilling out from underneath. Hopefully that meant he was asleep, catching up on some much needed rest.

She sighed quietly and continued back to the living room and on into the kitchen. A few minutes later the coffee was almost done brewing and she was making a final check of the contents in his cupboards, pantry, and refrigerator. He had all the basic staples, like peanut butter and of course the jelly they'd used last night. He also had the classic trio of mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup along with some dill pickles spears. There was a couple of jars of spaghetti sauce, but nothing to put it on. He had sugar and some tea bags, and about half a can of coffee. A single, unopened box of Corn Flakes sat in the pantry, not yet to it's use-by date.

Having a better grasp of what they actually had, she fixed a mug of coffee and let herself enjoy several cautious sips before starting on the grocery list. Since she couldn't be sure how long the actual detox was going to take, she decided to go ahead and order enough food to keep them well supplied for at least a couple weeks. Maybe by then, if not before, they'd be able to go out for anything else they wanted or needed.

Two gallons of milk, a container of coffee grounds, a block of cheese, and two dozen eggs were the first items she listed. Next came apples, grapes, and oranges, a bag of potatoes, some celery, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. Due to it's versatility with meals, she went ahead and wrote down three loafs of bread. The list was rounded off with a few packages of pasta, three packs of chicken breast, two pounds of bacon, a package of sausage, and four pounds of ground beef. It was a lot for just two people, but this way she could make soups, pasta dishes, salads, and sandwiches, as well as a variety of breakfast options. And her dad needed to eat as much as possible. Not only did he need to gain weight, but he needed fuel to help him get through the worst of it.

Her decisions as to what to buy made, she grabbed the phone and placed the order. She read off the items and gave her dad's address. After being quoted a price and estimated delivery time, she hung up and downed the rest of her coffee. Still trying to be quiet, she went back into her dad's office and found his checkbook. She didn't bother to confirm the balance before writing out the check. They'd never had money troubles, and even with his drinking problem, she knew there was no way he could have emptied his account. She signed her name and tore the document at it's perforated line. It had been his idea to put her on the account as a signer in case something happened to him, and although she'd argued with him about it then, she was glad for it now. Even so, doing the actual bookeeping of it felt like too much of an intrusion into his privacy, so she would just put the receipt in here later, and let Jim write in the debit when he was able to.

As she made her way back to the living room, she stopped by her dad's door again. There was still no light, and silence was all she could hear. It wasn't even 8:00 yet, and she had no problem continuing to let him sleep. She returned to the kitchen, set the check on the counter, and prepared another cup of coffee. After a couple of sips, she stepped over to the couch and straightened up the sheets and blanket, then set the pillow aside, out of the way next to the edge of the couch. She took hold of the end of the bed and folded it up, wanting it out of the way during the day.

A quick trip back to the kitchen had her warm mug back in her hands, and then she went back to the small table beside the couch and retrieved the book she'd read herself to sleep with. The food would be here soon, but until then she might as well find out more about the revenge thirsty Wiccans. So far the book was unlike anything she'd ever read, but there was something about the story, the way the words flowed across the paper, that had her hooked from page one. She could tell why her mother had liked the book. It was easy to read yet offered a complete escape from reality with the totality in which it swept up the reader. Kate sat down and curled into the corner of the couch, propping herself up on the armrest, and opened up to where she'd left off. A contented sigh escaped Kate's lips as she raised her mug to her lips before setting it down on the table. Then she began to read.

* * *

The door buzzer actually made Kate jump. She chuckled at herself and shook her head as she marked her place and shut the book. A few moments later she was at the door, unlocking it and pulling it open.

"Morning." The black haired, bucktoothed, delivery guy drawled in a thick Brooklyn accent.

"Good morning." Kate answered.

"Ya gots an awful lot of groceries, lady. Do you want me to carry them to the kitchen for ya?"

Kate looked at the large box in his arms, and then at the one on the ground next to him.

"I'd appreciate that, thank you." She pointed down. "But I'll get that one."

"Careful." He shrugged. "I kinda had to slide it along the ground. The bottom may be a little weak. Plus, it's pretty hefty."

Kate stepped through the door, deciding not to ask why he didn't make two trips up the elevator or bring another person to help. She bent her knees until she could grip the box and slid her long fingers under the edges, then stood slowly. He wasn't kidding. It was hefty.

"Follow me." She grunted as she went back into the apartment.

They walked to the kitchen counter and both set their boxes down. Kate grabbed the check and handed it to the delivery guy. He folded it without looking and shoved it in his pocket.

"Thanks."

"Thank you." Kate replied.

He turned on his heels and went back towards the door. Kate followed him and closed the door behind him. What an odd fellow he was, and definitely not a big conversationalist. Oh well. This was New York. The eclectic people were one of her favorite things about the city. She turned and looked at the boxes of groceries, but then decided to see if her dad was awake before putting them up.

Silence and darkness greeted her at his door once more. He'd never really been a late sleeper, so now that it was approaching 9:00, Kate wanted to check on him closer. She put a hand on the knob and turned it slowly, not wanting to disturb him if he truly was still asleep. His sleeping form was the first thing she looked at when the door was open wide enough to see inside. Holding her breath, she stared at him, letting the air release quietly from her lungs only after she saw his chest rising and lowering slowly. He looked serene, and the bed was barely mussed, so he must not have tossed and turned.

Kate closed the door and went back to the kitchen, relived to know that he was indeed getting the much needed rejuvenation, and not just hiding away in his room. She set about putting up the food, starting with the cold items, since she didn't know exactly how long they'd been in the boxes. It took her almost fifteen minutes to put everything up, and when she finished, her stomach reminded her that the only sustenance she'd had all day was coffee.

Not wanting to cook for just herself, and unsure of how long Jim would sleep, Kate opted for a bowl of cereal. She set a new pot of coffee to brew before preparing her breakfast. The corn flakes were quickly consumed before they could get soggy, and by 9:30 she was back on the couch, hot coffee in one hand, _Hell Hath No Fury_ in the other. She'd keep an ear out for sounds that would let her know her dad was awake, but until he was, she had nothing else to do.

* * *

Three and a half hours later, Kate closed the book for the last time. Other than a trip down the hall every thirty minutes or so, she hadn't moved from the couch, and now she'd read every last word. Wanting another literary escape from reality, she went back to the bookshelf. To her delight, when she put the book back, she realized that the books next to it were also by Richard Castle. She picked the one titled _In A Hail Of Bullets_. She headed back to the the couch, she set the book down and went to perform her now routine check on Jim.

What she heard as she approached his door, however, was not routine. He was talking loudly, the words unintelligible from her side of the door.

"Dad?"

She knocked lightly and waited for a response. The only one she received was more elevated mumbling. There was a tinge of aggravation in his voice, but the more he spoke, the more his tone began to sound fearful. Kate opened the door, worry beginning to fill her mind. When she saw him, the feeling turned to dread. He was no longer under the covers and he was curled up in the fetal postion. She still couldn't tell what he was saying, but his face was skewed with fraught. There was no mistaking it. He was having a nightmare. Kate walked over to his bed, kneeling down beside it.

"Dad." She whispered, not wanting to scare him. She put a hand on his shoulder, gentle and slow, and tried again. "Dad?"

He jerked away from her touch, and his nonsensical mutterings grew louder.

"Dad." She spoke little louder this time. "It's me, Katie. Can you hear me?"

As she'd expected, he didn't answer. She stood and went to the bathroom, found a clean washrag under the sink, and wet it with cold water. After wringing out the excess liquid, she returned to his side and rubbed his sweaty face and neck with the cloth. He flinched and although she assumed it was at the cool sensation, Kate didn't stop.

"Dad, wake up." She pleaded, not sure why her voice had come out so desperate sounding. "Everything is okay. You're safe."

She laid the rag on his forehead as best as she could in his current sideways position and knelt back down. She was debating her next move, not sure if she should let him sleep it out or continue trying to wake him, when Jim suddenly bolted upright, sending the washrag flying across his bed. His eyes were wide and wild, darting around like a feral animal who was trapped and looking for an escape route.

"Dad."

Jim looked down at her, but the crazed expression didn't leave his face. His face was unbelievably pale, and if the vein in his neck was any indication, his heart was racing like he'd just ran a marathon.

"Dad." Kate tried again. "Calm down. Everything is fine."

Still unspeaking, he continued to stare at her, almost as if he didn't recognize her. Without warning, he jumped up from the bed, nearly knocking Kate aside as he rushed past her. He ran into the bathroom and slammed the door, but it wasn't nearly thick enough to mask the retching sounds coming from within.

Kate stood up and sat on the bed to wait for him, not caring if he would be embarrassed upon his exit. A sigh snuck out as she drew her legs up and laid her head down on her knees. Everything she'd just witnessed were symptoms of the detox. And the worst was yet to come.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

**Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!**

* * *

**A/N - Sorry this update took so long. This is the hardest story I've ever written, for many reasons. For those of you who have been waiting, I thank you for your patience. If you have just joined us and didn't have to wait, I'm glad you're here now. No matter what category you fall under, thank you for reading. And now, on to chapter four.**

* * *

Nearly ten minutes passed before Jim came back out of the bathroom. His face was still disturbingly pale and appeared even more drawn than it had the day before. He looked up at Kate, shame and torment filling his dull eyes. She smiled at him, just a small uplighting of her lips, hoping to ease his obvious discomfort by erasing some of the awkward tension choking the air.

"Hey, Dad."

"Katie, I'm sorry." He gasped out hoarsely.

He reached up and ran a hand over his throat. The inside felt as if were lined with burning sandpaper and he was desperately thirsty.

"Nothing to be sorry about." Kate stood up. "It's just a part of it, unfortunately."

"I was having a nightmare."

"I could tell."

"I have them all the time." He swallowed, his face contorting in pain as he did so. "But when I woke up and saw you, I was certain I was looking at your mother. I was so confused, so unable to separate reality from my mind's tricks that it actually made me...well, you know what happened."

"Do you want to talk about the nightmares?"

"No." He snapped. Kate's eyes grew wide and his shoulders drooped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that. But they are bad enough when I dream them. I don't want to revisit them when I don't have to."

"That's okay, Dad. I know exactly what you mean."

Kate went to him, suddenly filled with an overwhelming need just to be hugging him. She felt him tense up under her touch as she wrapped her arms around his torso. A few moments later he returned the embrace, though his grip was much lighter and timid, almost as if he was still unsure of if she was real or not, like she would disappear if he applied too much pressure.

"I wish I could just make the next few days go by on fast forward so you didn't have to live through them." Kate sighed against his shoulder.

"I wish you didn't have to see me like this." Jim replied, his voice still grainy.

He tightened his hold on her, feeling more fully aware and awake, and she angled her eyes up to his.

"Dad, you changed my diapers and took care of me when I was sick and put bandaids on cuts and even pulled legos out of my nose. I'd say we're even."

"But a father is supposed to do those things. A daughter isn't."

Kate slipped from his arms and folded hers across her chest. She gave him a look that reminded him of the glare Johanna used to give him when they'd be arguing and she wasn't going to let him win, even if he was right.

"We are done talking about this, Dad. We're doing this together. We need each other." She dropped her hands to her sides. "And you need to eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"This isn't up for debate."

"I don't know if I can keep anything down."

Kate cocked her head to one side, studying his tired eyes and limp posture. She straightened back up before speaking again.

"I'll make you a deal."

"What's that?" Jim asked skeptically.

"You eat some toast now, and I'll leave you alone about eating."

"That's the deal?"

"Not all of it." Kate shook her head. "You eat at least two peices of toast now, and I'll make some chicken noodle soup for dinner and you have to eat some of it. No arguing, just eating."

"Can I make a condition of my own?"

"You may make it, but I don't promise to accept it."

Jim almost laughed. Kate and Johanna had many conversations just like this when Kate was a teenager, making deals to find common ground when they disagreed. Jim would watch his ever lawyering wife and his loophole seeking rebellious daughter silently from the sidelines, enjoying the head-to-head brilliance and creativity of their conversations.

"Okay. My condition is that if I'm still feeling ill this evening, I only have to drink some of the broth."

Kate squinted her eyes in thought, comtemplating his request.

"If I agree to that, you'll eat the two peices of toast now?"

"I'll agree to eat one and then see how my stomach is holding up, and if I can keep it down, I'll eat the second."

"If you only eat one piece, then you have to eat a minimum of three bites of noodles and chicken and veggies with your broth tonight."

Jim did laugh at that, and it felt good, even through the pain.

"You drive a hard bargain." He told her.

"I learned from the best." Kate shrugged.

"That you did, Katie." He sighed, a mixture of sadness and agreement. "All right. I accept your terms."

"Good. I accept your terms as well." She smiled at him and started for the door. "I'll get the toaster going."

"I'll be out there in a few minutes." He replied. "I'm just going to get cleaned up a little more."

Kate nodded without looking back. By the time Jim made it to the kitchen, she had his toast waiting. He was thankful that it was dry, because he didn't want anything sweet like the jelly and he figured he should avoid dairy for at least a day or two. She'd put a glass of water and two aspirin next to the plate. He picked up the glass and drank half of it, stopping only because he was afraid he'd make himself sick again if he continued to guzzle it. Never in his life had water tasted so good.

"What is the aspirin for?" He inquired as he set the glass back by the plate and sat down.

"Your headache."

"I don't have a headache."

"You will." She looked up from the peanut butter sandwich she was making for herself. "Trust me on this one, Dad. After you eat some toast you should go ahead and take it."

"I'll wait and take it if I get a headache."

He took a bite of a piece of toast and Kate headed towards the refrigerator, having finished preparing her sandwich. She grabbed an apple and returned to the counter.

"Dad, a few months ago I watched a guy go through a detox in a holding cell." She rinsed the apple off in the sink. "He got a headache so severe, he started slamming his face against the wall and screaming for the jackhammering devils to leave him alone. We had to send him to the hospital." She started slicing the fruit. "Then there was this another guy, his head hurt so bad he actually passed out from the pain."

"Well." Jim swallowed his third bite of toast. "When you put it that way, some premedication doesn't sound too preemptive."

"I thought that might help you see things my way."

She came around the counter, carrying her plate of food, and sat down next to him. They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, enjoying each other's company, the warmth that came from their shared presence. Jim managed to eat both pieces of toast, then took the aspirin. He insisted on cleaning the kitchen, and Kate let him do it since there wasn't much to put up.

Once he was done, they moved to the living room, each taking an end of the couch. They spent the afternoon talking, keeping the conversation light and avoiding anything having to do with their current situation. They played some card games and then broke out the old chess board that hadn't seen the light of day since before Kate had gone to college. If it wasn't for the intense desire to have a drink that Jim had to keep shoving to the back of his mind, the day would have been perfect.

In between games, Kate attended to the soup she'd started around mid-afternoon. When it was ready, Jim felt good enough to eat some of all the components of the soup, not just the broth, much to Kate's delight. She made him take two more aspirin, something he didn't argue about because his temples were starting to throb.

After cleaning up from dinner they spent a couple more hours talking on the couch. Then Jim started fighting off yawns and rubbing his forehead repeatedly, and Kate ordered him to bed. As with the second dose of medicine, he did not argue.

When she was sure her father had the lights out and was resting, Kate decided to return to the world of fiction by starting _In A Hail Of Bullets_. She went ahead and pulled the bed out and changed into her pajamas, then settled in for the night.

And like the night before, she read herself to sleep with the wonderful words of Richard Castle.

* * *

That was pretty much how the next two days went.

Jim slept until late morning. Kate got him to eat as much as he would and made sure he took aspirin regularly, which did help to keep his headaches down to a dull roar.

They'd pass the time with small talk and games and a movie or two.

She didn't witness any more nightmares, and although she assumed he was, she didn't ask if he was still having them.

All in all, things were going well, far better than Kate had expected. She was downright thrilled.

Then, on day four, things went from not that bad to worse.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

**Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!**

* * *

Early Tuesday morning was when everything started going downhill faster than a greased plastic sled on snow packed harder than concrete. Kate was ripped from sleep when she heard the refrigerator door slam. She jerked upright, on high alert, reaching instinctively for the gun that she didn't have with her. She rapidly blinked several times to clear her blurry eyes until the nighttime fuzz was gone and her brain could focus on the figure in the kitchen. A confused yet relived sigh split her lips when she realized it was just her dad, not some intruder searching for valuables in strange places. She glanced at the clock on the wall as she untangled herself from the sheets and stood up, and her brow scrunched in confusion.

"Dad, what are you doing up? It's not even four in the morning yet."

He didn't answer her, just turned to the cabinets behind him and started opening them one at a time. He'd look in each one for a few moments, mutter something Kate couldn't hear, and then slam the door before moving on to the next one.

"Dad, what are you looking for?"

Still getting no response, she walked into the kitchen and put a hand on his shoulder. Jim swung around, causing her hand to fall from his shoulder. His pupils were dilated, making his glassy eyes dark and almost lifeless. He stared at her in silence for several seconds.

"I need the rat traps, Johanna."

"I'm Kate, Dad." She had to work hard to keep her voice calm and steady. "Mom isn't here."

"Stop mucking about, Jo. Those rats in the walls are about to meet their maker. Where are the traps? The big ones."

Kate didn't know if he was sleepwalking or hallucinating, but either way, she needed to bring him back to reality. He gave up on the cabinets and headed for the laundry room, so Kate followed him.

"Dad, you don't have rats. Let's get you back to bed."

"I heard them in the walls." He stopped and turned back to Kate. "And they were staring at me, Jo, with their beady little eyes."

He started to walk away again, but Kate grabbed his hand to hold him in place. She was shocked to discover that he was shaking.

"I'm not Johanna, Dad." She hoped with all her heart that he didn't notice her voice breaking. "I'm your daughter, not your wife. Look at me."

"I am looking at you." He tried to tug his hand from hers, but she held on tight. "But I should be looking for the rat traps."

"No, Dad. Look at me, don't just look in my direction." Kate stepped closer and took hold of his other hand. "Please, Dad. Just look at me."

Jim sighed frustratedly, but turned his gaze to her face and let his still wide pupils trace every feature slowly. Kate could tell when the pieces clicked into place, she knew the exact moment he realized who she was. His expression fell, and a handful of tears left a trail down his cheeks. Kate couldn't help herself. She cried too.

"Katie." He whispered. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

He slipped a hand free and reached up to wipe her tears away, which only made them come faster. With their joined hands he pulled her closer, wrapping her up in his arms, hugging her tight, nearly squeezing the air from her lungs. And it felt so good to Kate, to be in that embrace, that she cried even harder. She let herself sob, no longer fighting the urge to keep everything locked up. Soon they were both vibrating, her with the power of her emotional release, him with the effects of his contiuned detoxing.

"I couldn't sleep." Jim said, his voice soft and raspy. "I heard scratching in the walls. It started to drive me crazy. I could actually feel myself getting worked up, little by little. Then it was like something snapped, and I had to make the noise stop. I don't know how I came to the conclusion that it was rats." He huffed out a strangled chuckle. "I don't even have rat traps, come to think of it. Never needed them. Then I saw you, with your hair messed up from sleep and your eyes shining with curiosity. You look so much like your mom. Have I ever told you that?"

"Yeah." Kate answered into his chest, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"Well, when I laid eyes on you, I guess due to whatever little spell I was under, all I saw was Johanna. Her beauty, her grace, you have that, and so much more. Her kindness and capacity for love and desire for truth. She would be so proud of you, Katie, so proud."

Kate's tears had stemmed to a slow drip, but she didn't try to move away, just talked into his chest again.

"You thought all that when you saw me in the kitchen?"

"No. I just thought you were her. But I'm thinking all that now. I think it a lot. I just don't tell you it enough."

"I miss her."

"I know you do. I do too."

"I miss you too, Dad."

She felt his hard swallow, rose and fell with him as he took in a deep breath and sighed it out.

"I'm trying to come back to you, sweetheart."

"I know you are. You'll get there. I believe in you."

"Thank you."

Kate pulled back and looked up at him, smiling through the remnants of her tears.

"You're welcome."

"I love you, Katie."

"I love you too, Daddy." It had probably been twenty years since Kate had called him that, but it just came out, and she didn't care a bit about how childish it might sound. "Now I think we should go back to bed. It's still really early."

Jim sighed again and released her from his arms.

"Hopefully the rats are gone." He joked.

"Hopefully so." Kate agreed, a hint of laughter in her tone. "Um, you're going to have to change your shirt. I kind of got it all wet. Sorry."

He looked down at the rather large patch of his shirt that had been darkened by her despair.

"Don't be sorry. I'll be your shoulder to cry on anytime."

"Goodnight, Dad." Kate said, not wanting to allow the conversation to turn back into a heavy one. "See you in the morning."

"Night, Katie."

He headed for the hall and she made her way towards her bed, but stopped halfway and turned back to him.

"Oh, hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?" He asked as he turned to face her as well.

"Why on earth were you looking in the refrigerator for rat traps?"

He thought for a moment and then shrugged.

"I don't have the faintest idea. But, seeing as how there aren't even any rats to begin with, I guess that it seemed logical at the time."

Kate chuckled, feeling a little more of the weight falling from her as she did so.

"Valid point. Good night."

"Good night."

Within minutes, both were settled back in their beds. But as silence overtook the apartment once more, their minds had nothing to focus on but what had just happened. And although they would be needing plenty of rest for the days to come, sleep unfortunately, albeit not surprisingly, eluded them.


	6. Chapter 6

******Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

******Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

******Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for****!**

* * *

Kate had quit trying to sleep after laying awake in bed for almost two hours. She'd been too worked up to read, so all she could do was lay there and wonder what else her dad might do the longer he went without a drink. Now she was sipping at her second cup of coffee, standing by the living room window watching as the sun rose higher, spreading more and more of its warm light over the city.

She had always loved this part of the day. No matter what had happened the day before, the rising of the sun brought with it a clean slate, a new beginning. It was a fresh start, a reminder that there was a great big world out there, and she could go into it with all the ferocity of the sun itself if she choose to. When her mother had been alive, they'd watched many sunrises together, usually in silent, revert awe of the beauty and power of the light, coming from so far away but still able to have such a great effect on all it touched. It had been their thing, their moment, their time where nothing existed but them and the sun.

Kate had cried as she watched the sunrise the day after her mother was killed. She'd been up all night, crying more tears than she thought she could have in her for a lifetime. And yet the dryness she'd finally cried herself to was washed away the instant the first glimpse of pink kissed the early morning sky. What she didn't understand then, and didn't for several years, is how the morning sun could still be so beautiful when everything in her hurt so bad, how she could still feel hope and peace while being bathed in those first tendrils of light when she felt so lost inside.

It had hit her one day, about two years ago, why the sunrise still made everything brighter, and not just in the literal sense. It was because the promise was still there. The offer of one more chance, another opportunity, no one could take that away from her. Her mother may have been stolen from her, but no one could rob her of the memories that filled her mind. Normally, Kate wasn't one to believe in the presence of persons gone or that people watched over the ones they left behind. But as she stared down the rainbow of reds, pinks, oranges, and yellows, even she couldn't deny that she could almost see her mother sitting beside her, could almost feel her quiet breaths of wonderment stirring the air.

Kate's reverie was suddenly interrupted by quiet footsteps. She turned around and smiled at her dad, who was now heading towards her.

"The coffee is still fresh." She told him, holding her mug up in his direction.

"I'm fine, thank you." He replied.

Jim reached her side and looked out the window, so she turned back to face the glass too. The stood in silence, neither wanting to bring up what they were both thinking about. A few minutes passed, then Jim sighed.

"I was trying to find my keys." He said.

"What for?" Kate asked without moving.

"I just thought I'd go out for a while. Get a change of scenery."

Kate glanced at him and took a sip of her coffee as she processed his statement.

"Do you really think that is a good idea?" She inquired softly.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Dad." Kate sighed and turned to him, waited until he turned towards her too. "I hate to bring this up, but a few hours ago you thought I was mom and you were looking for non-existent rat traps to kill imaginary rats. I just don't think the crowds of the city streets are the best place for you right now."

"Katie, I feel like the walls are closing in. I need to get out of here." He huffed out a breath of air and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I need a dr-" He paused mid-word, but Kate wasn't dumb, and he knew that she knew what he'd almost said.

"Go ahead, Dad." She leaned over and set her coffee mug on a small table that used to hold magazines, then straightened up and crossed her arms. "Say it."

"I didn't mean-"

"Yes, you did." Kate interrupted him. "So man up and say what you were going to say."

"Fine. I need a drink. Just one. I can't take this. Quitting cold turkey was stupid. I'm shaking like a paint mixer, I can't sleep anymore, my headache is laughing at the aspirin, my heart won't stop racing, and every little sound I hear grinds on my nerves."

"And you think a drink will make it all better?"

"Yes." He responded, frustration thick in his voice.

"You're wrong. It will only make it worse. It will just put you back at the beginning. You won't be able to stop at just one drink, no matter how much you tell yourself you will, then you'll have to detox all over again."

"I am a grown man. I think I know what I can and can't handle."

"No, Dad, you obviously don't, or we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place."

"Just tell me where the keys are." Jim started to walk away. "You don't know what this feels like."

Kate sucked in a deep breath, anger licking at her chest, burning into her with a fury of emotion, and she stormed after him. He'd already made it halfway across the room, but she caught up to him with a few long strides. Grabbing his arm, she jerked him back to her, forcing him to look at her.

"How dare you say that?" She hissed as she dropped her hand from his arm.

"Say what?"

"That I don't know how this feels?"

"How many times have you quit drinking?" He barked back.

"None. But I have my own demons. I know what it feels like to not want to let go."

"This is different."

"No, Dad, it isn't. You choose alcohol as your escape from the pain of losing mom. I choose to bury myself in her case. Just like you, my choice was ruining me. I was barely eating, not getting enough sleep, I was obsessed. So I had to walk away, I had to give up, before I got myself too deep to ever get out." She crossed her arms again, holding herself up to stay strong. "But here's the thing. A few floors below where I work every day is a box. In that box is all that is left of Mom's case. It taunts me while I sit at my desk, calls to me, begging to be searched one more time. Not that I need to even look in it, since I have the entirety of the contents of that box memorized. But still, it beckons."

"What is your point?" Jim interrupted impatiently.

"My point is, I quit looking. I let go, but I'm not free. Like I said, I know every word in the file, I know every little tear on the now worn sheets of paper, I can see it all as vividly as I see you right now. Just like you will always want a drink, though it will someday be an unconscious thought, I can't stop thinking about going down for one more look through the box." She dropped her arms back to her sides, sighing shakily as she fought the emotions she felt tightening her chest. "But I can't. Not even once. Just like you can't have even one drink. Because that one will lead to one more. You'll think you're in control, so you'll have another. Then you're staring at the bottom of an empty bottle, or in my case, an empty box, and you still have no answers. Only sorrow and pain."

"That's a nice speech, Katie. But it's still different. When you shut that box and walked away, it didn't make your head feel like a fault line was ripping apart inside it. It didn't make you think your daughter was your dead wife. It didn't make your hands shake so bad you almost can't button your own shirt. It didn't make you feel like you couldn't go on, like you were watching yourself die and couldn't do a thing about it. There's no way it made you feel so helpless."

"You'd be surprised at how it made me feel." Kate argued gently.

"But you did it. You made it through." Jim's eyes filled with tears, but they didn't fall. "You're stronger than me. I just can't do this. It's too much, Katie."

"Dad, I didn't do it alone. I had to go to counseling. I had to be shown what I was doing to myself, I had to be guided out of the hole I had thrown myself down. You don't have to do this alone either. That's why I'm here."

She stepped towards him, but he backed away.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm not ready for this."

Kate's face tightened, her eyes squinting in disbelief, her mouth thinning into an angry line.

"Fine." She said, her voice ripe with bitterness. "But understand this, Dad. If you walk out that door now, after what we've already accomplished, I won't be here when you get back."

Jim stared her down for several tense seconds, the silence enveloping them deafeningly. Suddenly, he turned and went for the door. Without another word, he unlocked it, opened it, went through, and slammed it behind him. Kate barely made it to the couch before her knees gave out on her, and she collapsed to the cushions. Large, indignant tears began to slide down her cheeks. How could he do this, to himself, to her, to them? How could he be so selfish? She allowed herself to sit for a few minutes, to let her mind try to make sense of everything, then she went to her bathroom to pack.

She'd barely gotten her bag open when she felt a hand land lightly on her shoulder. She stiffened, but a glance in the mirror let her know it was just Jim. Their eyes met in the reflection and Kate noticed that his cheeks were stained with the same two telltale tear tracks that she still wore. A moment more passed before she spoke.

"What, did you realize you forgot your keys?" Her tone dripped with accusation. "So you had to come back and get them so you could drive on down to your favorite bar?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you would be willing to make some more of that chicken noodle soup you made the other day." He smiled halfheartedly and removed his hand. "It was delicious."

Kate's heart quickened, and she turned around to him. She bit her lip and shrugged.

"On one condition."

"Anything." Jim responded quickly.

"You chop up the veggies while I cook the chicken."

"I can handle that." He grinned, a happier one than his last. "We'll make it together."

"Yeah." Kate couldn't help but smile back. "Together."


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: Demons Don't Go Lightly**

**Summary: Kate steps in before she loses her father to the memory of her mother.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.**

**Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!**

* * *

"Good grief." Jim leaned back in his seat and rubbed a hand over his stomach. "I'm never eating again. I feel like I'm about to pop."

"I told you sharing a piece of pie was a good idea." Kate laughed and leaned back in her own seat and smiled. "After those burgers and fries, neither of us would have been able to finish off a whole piece by ourselves."

"Yeah, yeah." Jim chuckled. "You were right. Like usual."

Kate smiled again as she reached out for her coffee and took a sip.

"Okay." She set the mug down. "Lunch is over. Let me see it."

Jim put his hand in his pocket and dug out the requested item. He held it out to Kate, and she took it. She ran her fingers over the bronze, tracing the triangle and then landing on the raised circle in its center. Her lips turned upwards once more as she rubbed the numeral six located in the middle of the circle.

"I'm so proud of you, Dad. Six months sober. You should be proud of yourself too."

"I am."

"Good." She nodded as she turned the chip over.

"I like that side the best." Jim told her.

Kate glanced at him, then lowered her gaze back to the writing.

_God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference._

"I think that's good advice for anyone." Jim continued. "Not just me. I actually thought of you when I first read it."

"You did?" Kate asked without looking up.

"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "It made me think about how you work so hard for answers, how you can't change that someone has been killed, but you are brave enough to not stop until the killer is caught. It just made me think of you. How wise and courageous you are."

"Like father, like daughter." Kate replied softly.

Jim sat forward and took her hand in his, sealing the chip in between their palms.

"I'd have never made it here without you. You know that, right?"

Kate didn't know what to say, so she just squeezed his hand gently. Jim pulled his hand away, taking the chip with it, and replaced it in his pocket. When he brought his hand back to the table, it was holding a small box.

"What's that?" Kate inquired.

"Something I want to give you."

He opened the box and pulled out a simple silver chain necklace. Kate felt her heart beat faster when she saw what hung at the end of it.

"Dad, no."

"Hush, Katie. I want you to have this. Your mother would have wanted you to have it. I should have given it to you sooner." He smiled. "She used to tell me that she hoped one day a man would come to ask us for your hand in marriage, and upon us giving him our blessing, she'd give him the ring. Then it would become yours to pass on." He sighed at the weight of the memory, but it was a good one, so he didn't let it make him sad. "I put it on this chain so you could wear it close to your heart. I hoped it would help you remember that while she may be gone, she will forever be in your heart."

"Dad." Kate whispered, her voice weary with emotion.

"It can be a reminder of the life you lost. A good reminder." He swallowed hard and licked his lips. "This ring made her happy, especially when she thought of passing it on to you. So I want it to make you happy now. I want you to look at it from time to time and let it bring good memories back to you." He paused and scooted down the bench seat, away from the edge. "Come over here."

Kate slid from her side of the booth and sat down beside him, taking up the space he'd just left. He lifted the chain over her head and lowered it gently, reverently. He pulled her hair out of the way and let the chain fall to the skin of her neck. She took the ring in her hand and stared at it, and although she had a tear in her eye, she wasn't sad. The light hit the jewel on top of the ring as she slowly rolled it back and forth between her fingers, making it shine. It reminded her of the way her mother's eyes used to sparkle in the light, and she couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. She dropped the ring, letting it hang down her chest, and hugged her father.

"Thank you, Dad. I love it."

"You're welcome." He said as he hugged her back, his grip tight, strong, just like it used to be before Johanna had died. "Okay, I've got one more thing I want to give you."

They released each other and Jim pushed his left sleeve up past his wrist. He unlatched his watch and removed it from his arm, then gestured at Kate to hold hers up. She started to protest, but decided to keep her mouth shut. She told herself that maybe he needed to do this as part of his healing, that maybe he wasn't giving her stuff just to give her stuff. He placed the watch on her bare wrist, still warm from his flesh, and fastened it. Then he took her hand in between both of his and looked up, meeting her eyes with his.

"Katie, I want you to have this so that you will have a reminder of how you watched over me." He grinned as she rolled her eyes. "I know, it's cheesy, but it's true. You came and forced me to be the man I needed to be. You stayed by my side when I didn't even want to face myself. And these last six months, well they wouldn't have gone the way they have were it not for you being there, like I said, watching over me." He grunted to clear his throat again. "Just like that ring is to remind you of your mother, I want you to have this to remind you of what you did, how you saved me."

"You played a pretty big part in your sobriety, Dad. I just nagged you."

"You did much more than that, and you know it."

Kate sighed and hugged him again. They sat like that for several moments, the silence welcome even though they both had a lot they could have said. Kate pulled away first, smiling as she rubbed a finger over the face of her father's watch, heavy in such a good way on her wrist.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Katie." Jim replied with a smile, genuine joy shining on his face.

Kate pulled her phone from her pocket and started to look at it, but then chuckled.

"I have a watch now." She said to explain her laughter to Jim. "I don't have to check the time on my phone anymore."

"Oh." He smiled. "Good point."

Kate glanced down at her new timepiece and sighed.

"Well, I hate to eat, receive gifts, and then run, but my lunch break is almost over."

Jim laughed out loud at that.

"When duty calls, you must answer." He told her.

"Yep. Hey, are you busy Saturday afternoon?"

"I have an AA meeting at 2:00, but I'm free after that."

"Perfect! I'm off at 2:30. Want to do something? We could go see a movie or fly kites in Central Park or go to Ellis Island just because we can."

"Yeah." Jim nodded. "Sounds good."

"Great." Kate smiled and turned to reach for the check.

"Oh no." Jim grabbed her arm gently. "Lunch is on me today. I'm celebrating, after all."

Kate smiled, pride making her chest swell, and leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"In that case, celebrate away." She said as she slid back out of the booth. "And thank you again for the ring and watch. I'll truly treasure them forever."

"I know you will. Be safe out there, sweetheart."

"I will. I'll call you later about Saturday?"

"Okay." He smiled again. "Bye."

"Bye, Dad."

And then she was gone, out the door to hunt for bad guys. Fighting for truth. Looking for justice. Making the world a little better, one family's closure at a time. His little girl. His savior.

He stood, putting the now empty box back into his pocket, and took out his wallet to leave a tip on the table. He went to the front counter and paid for their food, smiling politely at the woman who handed him his change.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?" The slightly obese, grandmotherly woman asked.

Jim glanced back at the doorway, smiling as he thought about Kate, then looked back at the woman.

"Yes we did. It was wonderful."

"That's nice, dear." She responded absentmindedly. "Have a good afternoon."

"You too." Jim said as he turned to leave.

He stepped outside and lifted his face to the sky, letting the sun warm his skin. He took in a deep breath and reached into his pocket, running his thumb quickly over the six month chip before pulling his hand back out. Yeah, both he and his daughter had a long way to go. But they'd come so far, and together, they'd keep going.

* * *

**A/N - This is the end of this little journey, and I'd like to thank you for coming on it with me. I hope y'all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until next time, Paige**


End file.
